How Analytical Tools Could Help Alt Proteins Replicate the Flavor of Meat
Analytical tools widely used in chemistry could have the potential to help alt protein products achieve taste parity with meat, Lorna De Leoz of Agilent Technologies has told Food Manufacture. In particular, a tool known as Liquid Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) could help to improve the properties of plant-based and cultivated products. LC/MS is already widely used across several industries, including in the analysis of pharmaceuticals and pesticides. However, the ability of the technology to analyze the molecular makeup of a product could also allow for improvements in several areas of alt meat production, including flavor, nutritional value, and aroma. By using LC/MS, researchers can compare the compounds in alternative proteins to those in conventional meat, including the ones responsible for salty, bitter, and …